A meeting convened by Travancore Devaswom Board president M.Rajagopalan Nair here on Friday decided to make advance preparations for the Karkidaka Vavu Bali on July 30 in different temples.
The meeting decided to construct an additional 1000 sq. ft. pandal on the premises of Sri Parasurama Temple at Thiruvallam for pilgrims to offer ‘Pithrutharpanam'.
The dining room on the temple complex would be demolished for constructing the pandal. The property adjacent to the temple would be taken on rent to set up ticket counters and barricades would be erected for crowd control.
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Tanks would be installed to store water and a tube well would be dug after securing consent from the Department of Archaeology.
The stretch of the Karamana river flowing by the side of the temple would be desilted and a check dam constructed for the pilgrims to take a dip after offering bali.
As many as 200 daily wage workers would be deployed to clean the temple premises. Employees from other temples would be appointed on special duty to tackle the heavy flow of pilgrims.
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More priests
More priests would be deployed at the temple and the bathing ghat. It was also decided to open an information centre and bookstall at Thiruvallam.
Tickets for offering bali would be issued 10 days in advance. Tickets can be purchased from the Sreekanteswaram temple, Hanuman Swamy temple at Palayam, and the TDB book stalls at Nanthancode and Puthenchanthai.
For the first time, the board is making arrangements to offer bali at the Sanghumughom Devi temple.
The land adjacent to the temple will be utilised for the purpose. Devotees will also be provided facilities to park their vehicles.
Similar arrangements are being made at temples in Varkala, Thirumullavaram and Aluva. Officials in the rank of Deputy Devaswom Commissioner have been appointed as special officers to oversee the preparations.
TDB member K.C. Cicily and senior officials were present at the review meeting.